Interlocking ingots and article



Nov. 7, 1961 F. D. BRESSLER 3,007,586

INTERLOCKING INGOTS AND ARTICLE Filed July 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

f a ff /v F. D. BRESSLER INTERLOCKING INGOTS AND ARTICLE Nov. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1954 INVENTOR. FAAAl/(zwflBkssslse 3,007,586 INTERLOCKING HNGOTS AND ARTlCLE Franklin Dean Eressler, Malvern, Ark, assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 1, 1954, Ser. No. 440,706 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-405) The present invention relates to bundles of interlocking ingots, particularly ingots of aluminum, and the object of the invention is to provide individual ingots having an interlocking feature which enables a very rigid bundle of ingots wi h excellent handling characteristics, the interlocking feature enabling light tie wires or straps which are positioned to hold the bundle together during handling and dropping, and at the same time the ingots have superior metallurgical and foundry characteristics in that the casting thereof yields a finer-grained, more gas-free metal with less segregation of heavier alloying elements, because of quicker chill and solidifying and casting, and a quicker melt-down when melted.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates two embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of ingot with a wider channel;

FIG. lb is a longitudinal view of the lower portion of a bundle of ignots of FIG. la showing three layers of ingots and the manner in which one overlying ingot embraces the webs of two underlying ingots;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view in side elevation showing a bundle composed of the ingots shown in FIG. 1, the figure being partly in dotted lines; and

FIG. 3 is a reduced elevation showing an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 2.

The characteristic of my invention is that rising from what might be considered as a base web are two webs spaced apart and providing a relatively wide channel, each web being preferably depressed at one or more points.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the base wall is at 1, and rising therefrom are the spaced webs 2, each web being broken by depressions at 3. There is thus formed a wide and deep channel between the webs 2.

In FIG. 1a the webs have high points at 5, and these high points are bridged by a depressed area. Also in FIG. 1a, the webs of the ingot have a wider spacing than in FIG. 1 so that, as shown in FIG. 1b, the adjacent webs of each two underlying ingots are embraced by an overlying ingot.

In each of the forms of the ingot, the spacing between the webs is such that the channel of one ingot will completely receive at least one web of an ingot reversed in position with respect thereto. This provides for the principle of interlocking a plurality of rows of the ingots to form a bundle with the ingots so interlocked that relatively light wire or strap ties will be sufficient to hold it together. A preferred form of such bundle is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the bundle may be started by a plurality of the ingots placed side by side with their spaced webs extending downward. Upon the base assembly of ingots may be placed a plurality of side by side ingots extending at right angles thereto, the length of the base assembly ingots being equivalent to the length of one ingot. After the two layers of ingots have been assembled, as described, a third layer with the webs extending downward and interlocked with the webs of the second layer forms a shelf upon which succeeding 3,7,53 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 2 layers may be built up similarly interlocked and successively reversed in direction, as shown in FIG. 2.

The positions by end view of the interlocking ingot webs is shown in FIG. 3. When the bundle is assembled as shown, tie wires or straps may be applied across the major sides and the ends of the bundle to hold it together for handling.

The ingots may be cast in any suitable types of molds, as for example, permanent molds. Due to the spacing of the webs and the uniformity thereof as to thickness, each ingot enables a quicker chill in the molds than customary, the result being that a finer-grained, more gas-free metal is produced with less segregation of alloying elements. Also the quick solidifying of the ingots in the molds provides a superior surface, which is flat, dense, and free from shrinkage, pipes or cracks, the latter being objectionable because they form moisture traps. The smooth wall inner and outer surfaces of the webs makes it more easy to clean the ingots before melting and after they have been stored.

The form of the ingots provides a lower melting rate. In other words, the surfaces are such as to yield a quicker melt-down when melted. Finally, the broad surfaces of the uniform flat webs provide an interlocking which results in a very rigid bundle with excellent handling characteristics.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. An ingot consisting of a cast metal unit formed with a base wall and with webs rising therefrom, said webs being spaced toprovide a channel between the webs of approximately the width of two webs, said channel being adapted to receive the adjacent webs of two abutting and overlying ingots reversed in position, each web of the ingot having a plurality of angular upper margins depressed from the horizontal line meeting the top of the web and providing an exposed top edge surface substantially greater in length than the length of the ingot.

2. A bundle of interlocking ingots comprising a plurality of groups of ingots, each group consisting of a layer of ingots in side by side abutment and a like layer of ingots reversed in position, the ingots consisting of cast metal units, each formed with a base wall and with two webs of substantially equal thickness and overall height rising therefrom, said webs being spaced to provide a channel between them, the webs of each layer of ingots entering the channels between the webs of the second layer, each web of the ingot having a plurality of angular upper margins depressed from the horizontal line meeting the top of the web and providing an exposed top edge surface substantially greater in length than the length of the ingot.

3. A bundle of ingots comprising, in combination, at least one group of ingots comprising a first layer of similar ingots in side by side parallel relationship and an inverted second layer of similar ingots overlying said first layer, each of said ingots having a base wall and a pair of angularly outwardly extending webs of substantially equal thickness and overall height, each said pair of web being spaced apart to define a channel equal in width to the width of two of said webs, the webs of one layer of said ingots being received within the channels of the other layer of said ingots, each Web of the ingot having a plurality of angular upper margins depressed from the horizontal line meeting the top of the web and providing an exposed top edge surface substantially greater in length than the length of the ingot.

4. An ingot consisting of a cast metal unit formed with a base wall and with two Webs of substantially 3,007,586 3 4 equal thickness and overall height rising therefrom, said References Cited in the file of this patent webs having straight walls of substantially equal thick- UNITED STATES PATENTS ness, said webs being spaced to provide a channel between the webs of approximately the width of two webs, 674,093 Morison y 14, 1901 said channel being adapted to receive the adjacent webs 5 1,485,007 Za hn 4 of two abutting and overlying ingots reversed in posi- 2,119,112 Mltcheu y 1938 tion, each web of the ingot having a plurality of angular 2,157,097 Jung y 9 upper margins depressed from the horizontal line meeting 2,420,625 stalnflker y 1947 the top of the web and providing an exposed top edge 2,580,224 Gfazlel" 9 surface substantially greater in length than th length 10 2720967 Wllsofl 5 of the ingot. 

